Girls should not dance at weddings, use mobiles: panchayat

Udaipur: A panchayat in Udaipur district has asked families of the minority community not to allow girls to carry cellphones and prohibit them from dancing at wedding processions in public view.

Anjuman Muslim Panchayat in Salumbur town, 70 kms from Udaipur, issued the diktat at a meeting held a few days ago after cases of intercaste love marriages were reported.

"We have asked the community families to not allow their girls to carry mobile phones outside homes. They can use it in front of their parents but not in schools or colleges so that they do not get involved with boys," Habiburrehman, Secretary of the community panchayat, said on Friday.

"We are also against objectifying women. Hence, we have decided to ban their dance in wedding procession which is taken out in open on roads. However, there is no restriction inside their house and they can dance or sing in a function in the house," he said.

Justifying the decisions, he claimed the restrictions were necessary to maintain a secure environment in the community.

"It is for the safety and security of girls. There have been cases where girls and boys in our community did intercaste marriage. It is a serious trend and our community wants to ensure that no such happening reoccurs. Hence, the community panchayat took the decision," he said.

The panchayat was "not against" the freedom of women. "We promote them to get education but at the same time, we want to ensure that they follow and honour social arrangements also."

The panchayat has warned young people against love marriages as well and decided to impose a fine of Rs 51,000 on families if a boy or girl elopes or marries against the traditional social arrangements, he said.